The rate of reattainment of equilibrium in systems containing ribosomes and their subunits, whose equilibrium has been perturbed, will be followed by observation of light scattered at 90 degrees: The perturbation is caused by a shift in temperature (temperature-jump method of Czerlinski and Eigen) or a shift in pressure (pressure-jump method of Ljunggren and Lamm), which produces a few percent shift in the equilibrium constant. In particular, the study will center around E. coli ribosomes in the presence of chain initiation factor IF3, which is required in the normal pathway for synthesis of proteins in the cell. Our current indications are that the accepted, published interpretation of the role of chain initiation factor in this process is incorrect, and we believe that our investigation will lead to the elucidation of the process actually taking place.